Safe
by celticstarwolf
Summary: After death life goes on. For two the only way they feel safe is with each other. Please R&R Thank you


Authors note: ok blame this one on an I-pod on shuffle and thinking about Morgan/Garcia to much. And yes there will be more chapters of "A Christmas Carol" and "Christmas Gift's" to come. This little one just had to get out of my system. Set after "100". Thank you for reading now on with the show.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but me the song is Safe by Natalie Grant

_How did you know  
That I'm all alone today  
Oh I feel so scared  
And I want to go away  
I bleed so deep underneath  
My soul is screaming_

She could still hear the gun shots hours after it occurred they rang in her ears like a sick song making her wish they would just stop. The team had all left for places unknown to her or so she thought. She just sat there in front of her babies trying to make sense of everything, yet she couldn't wrap her mind around the tragedy that had took the life of one who left to soon. She didn't understand why one man had to be so damn cruel.

Sighing softly, Penelope turned back to her computer trying to get a few things down, upgrades that kept her going for the time being, kept the nightmares at bay, so lost in her way that she didn't even hear the faint knock on her door.

"Penelope?" a deep male voice asked surprise in his voice.

Turning to face him, she was a bit shocked that he had used her first name, "Can I help you with something?"

"Why are you still here?"

"Just finishing up a few things," Penelope answered pushing back the tears that suddenly appeared. _'Damn why did he still have to be here.'_ She thought trying to concentrate on everything else, but the man behind her.

"Even beautiful Goddess's need their beauty sleep, baby girl," Derek said, a twinge of sadness lacing through his heart.

He had been about to leave when the light caught his eye. He should have known that she would still be here, that the day's events would way heavily on her mind and heart. He hoped that she would let him in, let him apologize for his selfishness.

"I'll be find Morgan go home," Penelope returned her voice thick with tears, yet held a harsh quality to the tone.

He winced at her tone, knowing that he deserved the harshness, "I'm not leaving until you close down your babies and come with me."

Penelope spun around the tear tracks visible to his eyes, "Why do you care anymore?"

"I deserve that, I know I do, but I can't leave you not like this."

"It's none of your concern, so just go," she spat turning away from him again.

He knew he'd been a jackass the last few weeks, pushing her aside not letting her in, not telling her about Tamara. But he couldn't and wouldn't stand by and let her suffer alone not after the day they all had. In that moment Derek Morgan came to realize that he missed his baby girl in his life that she kept him safe, healed his wounded soul like no other had before. He couldn't leave things as they were. He wanted no regrets between them. Seeing Hotch so broken at Haley's death taught him to value the best things he had in life and Penelope was one of them, one of a very few.

_I'm not gonna hide  
I'm not gonna run away  
I'll uncover the scars  
And show you every mistake  
Your love has mended my blisters  
And my bruising shame  
Now I, I'm not ashamed.  
Here with you  
I am safe_

Swiftly he crossed the short distances between them, spun her chair around and grabbed her into a fierce hug bring her soft body into contact with his hard one. However, she just stood there stiff as a broad, arms at her side.

"I'm sorry Penelope I screwed up I admit that, but I can't loose you to," he said, his lips grazing her ear.

Chocking back her tears Penelope tried to speak, "It's not going to cut it this time Derek you hurt me."

He'd been afraid of that to do the one thing he never wanted to happen not to them. He silently vowed to change that.

"I know it wouldn't Penelope, but if you let me I will work everyday of my life to change that," Derek said hugging her tighter wishing that she would respond in some small way.

"What about Tamara?" she asked terrified of the answer.

Derek sighed and pulled away slightly he had to see her eyes, when he said this. "There is no Tamara, not anymore. You were right Penelope it would never have worked out," he paused a minute and then softly said, "she wasn't you."

_Drowning the tears  
Won't make it go away  
It's robbing my soul  
I'm taking this mask off my face  
To discover love  
And uncover all  
It means to live and breathe_

Instead of answering Penelope pulled away from him, wrapping her arms around her body, trying to protect herself. She wasn't sure where to go from this point, her heart hurt too much. For the loss of Haley, for Hotch and Jack both who would always carry that burden in their hearts forever. For the loss of the friendship she had with Derek. She wasn't sure if there was any way to go back. Even with his declaration there was to much hurt for things to just revert back to the way they were. The tears started to fall again, she felt, so alone, so helpless and torn. She tried to cover the sobs as best she could, but again Derek pushed passed her resolve and brought her close letting her cry into his chest. Against her will she felt safe in the shelter of his strong arms as her barriers started to crumble.

His own chest felt tight. He was unsure of where this left them. He didn't want to loose the only good and precious person he had in his life besides his family. He cursed his stupidity while holding on to her tighter running his hands up and down her back in what he hoped felt like a comforting gesture. Without giving it much thought he dropped a kiss to her temple trying to relay to her that he was indeed there for her.

A few minutes passed and Penelope started to calm down her sobs subsiding to sniffles as her own arms wrapped around his waist and she buried her face into his chest breathing in the familiar scent that was all Derek.

"What do we do now?" Penelope asked her voice muffled.

Sighing, Derek looked up towards the ceiling for guidance. He wasn't sure if God would listen, but he had to try anyway he didn't want to mess this up not again.

_You've uncovered and I've discovered  
I am not afraid  
But when we're hiding we're only fighting  
To be sane_

"We start over, learn from the mistakes we've, I've made and move on," he began pulling back just a bit, to cup her face in his large hands wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I can't loose you Penelope. You are the light in my dark soul. You give me hope when all hope is lost. I'm just sorry that I didn't realize how important you were to me sooner."

"We both made mistakes Derek. I let you go, let us go. In the end we both did damage to this friendship. I let my relationship with Kevin be a driving force in my life pushing you away," Penelope said sadness in her voice that broke his heart.

She looked away from him not be able to take the poignant look in his eyes it tore at her heart. To know that he only wanted her friendship back. She'd be alone again once he found the love of his life.

"Is there any hope for us?" Derek asked trying to make her understand that he didn't just want her as a friend anymore, Kevin be damned.

He wanted this woman in his arms. He couldn't and didn't want to live without her anymore. He was tried of the chase, tried of no name women littering his life. He wanted no needed her forever.

_I'm not gonna hide  
I'm not gonna run away  
I'll uncover the scars  
And show you every mistake  
Your love has mended my blisters  
And my bruising shame  
Now I, I'm not ashamed.  
Here with you  
I am safe _

"There is always hope," Penelope started, a sad light reflecting in her brown eyes, hidden behind silver frames.

She still didn't get it, "I don't mean as just friends Penelope. I mean, I want more. I need more," Derek said leaning closer to her, his breath costing over her lips as he whispered, "I love you," before capturing her mouth in a passionate kiss. His traced her lips with the tip of his tongue wanting more from her.

At first Penelope was too shocked to do anything more than just stand there. Then it registered that Derek, the Derek Morgan was kissing her and not just a quick peck on the lips either. Slowly she started to respond tighten her arms around his waist and opening her mouth to his questing tongue.

Elation filled his body when she started to respond. He deepens the kiss twisting his mouth in every direction he could just to seek out each crevice leaving them both breathless. One hand moved down the line of her side to grab her waist pressing her close while the other lost itself in her hair holding her head still so he could plunder her mouth. Now that he knew what it felt like to kiss her he knew deep down that he'd never get enough. He'd forever thirst for her; never being able to quench his desire for the woman he'd first came to love as a friend, then a best friend and finally as a man loved a woman.

Slowly Derek lessened the kiss to just nips and short shallow kisses, finally he pulled back, hearing her moan at the lose of contact, resting his forehead against hers trying to regain his breathing.

She stared at him a little dazed by the sudden passion that he'd poured into the kiss, but most of all by the emotions that were running through his eyes when they locked with hers. She could see the barely repress desire that darken his eyes, yet the one emotion that surpassed all others that filled his eyes was love.

"Are you sure?" she asked scared by what the answer would be.

"I haven't been this sure of anything in my life baby girl. I need you forever," Derek responded placing a chaste kiss to her swollen lips.

Tears filled her eyes, happy tears this time. Granted the day had brought nothing but pain, yet out of that sorrow came something beautiful and lasting.

"Then you'll have me forever, my chocolate Adonis, with you I am safe," Penelope replied capturing his lips with hers again.

In the end death brought two lives back together, repairing the damage and forging a lasting love.

The End


End file.
